The study explored the experience of traumatic events and posttraumatic in youtch positive changes resulting from struggling with a trauma, and the relationship between sex, age, the kind of traumatic event and time elapsed since the event and subsequent changes occured. 165 adolescents (52% girls, 48% boys) aged 14–18 participated in the study. The Polish adaptation of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory was used. 72% of adolescents experienced some traumatic event. The most frequent were: loss of a loved person (33%), chronic or acute illness, accident and injury, fi nancial hardship (13,3% each) and parent’s divorce (9,9%). 58% the of examined adolescents revealed at least on average level of posttraumatic growth. Positive changes were higher in self-perception, relating to others, appreciation of life than in the spiritual area. Sex, age, the type of experienced trauma and time elapsed since the event occurred did not relate to the level of posttraumatic growth in the examined group of youth.
